OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS. 
145 
Blood-spavin and bog-spavin have usually been con¬ 
sidered by persons ignorant of the structure of the parts to 
be synonymous. I have more than once refused to operate 
upon animals affected with these diseases, as I felt convinced 
I should—in the cases referred to—not add anything to my 
reputation as a veterinary surgeon. 
I think, in our examinations as to soundness, we should 
bear closely in mind the stage in which we find enlarged 
bursas. Doubtless all practitioners are aware that there are 
many stages or states in which these enlargements are found 
to exist. They do not attack every animal in a similar 
manner, nor do they assume the same appearance in every 
joint. Take, for instance, that affection termed capped elbow, 
which is invariably caused by the heel of a shoe. This gene¬ 
rally terminates in suppuration or resolution; therefore, I 
am inclined to believe a capped elbow should not be classed 
with these diseases. Take another example— capped hock. 
This is generally the result of a blow, produced by kicking, 
or it is sometimes brought on by the animal rubbing the 
hock against a rough wall. This is another disease, strictly 
speaking, not resembling those of bursal enlargements met 
with in the vicinity of the fetlock-joints: this, however, and 
that known by the name of thorough-pin, will be considered 
in their proper places. 
For the sake of brevity, I would divide tumefied bursae 
into soft and hard. The soft bursae—I am now referring to 
the front fetlock-joints—seldom produce any inconvenience, 
except occasionally in racing stables. The bursae become 
enlarged, as a general rule, by a very slow process; hence it 
is that, whatever derangement there may be in existence, it is 
but little felt, owing to the gradual development of disease. 
On the other hand, when referring to tumefied bursae in 
the hardened state, we shall have to look a little more closely 
to the parts or structures upon which it is found to impinge. 
Lameness is often produced by the pressure of a hardened 
bursa upon the nervous filaments, and especially will a horse 
be lame when that pressure is exerted upon the terminal por¬ 
tions of the metacarpal nerves. This being the case, it can 
be readily understood how it is that bandages so often are 
found to cause the irritation we are desirous of preventing. 
When, however, the bandage is wet and applied loosely, it 
has not that irritative effect as when it is placed tightly about 
the joint, and allowed to become dry and hard. It is this 
which proves so troublesome to a practitioner in the treat¬ 
ment of such affections; his instructions are not always 
carried out in a proper manner. 
XXXVII. 
10 
